Friday, April 24, 2015

The OmkAra upAsana is intended mainly for sanyAsis. There are a lot of restrictions in the Vedic Scriptures regarding the usage of PraNava.

Considering the modern times, if the term is retained as Yoga (which is mainly Asana and PrAnAyAma for many) and the world acknowledges that it belongs to BhArata as part of its sanAtana dharma, it is enough to start with. Later when some people develop intense faith in the Yoga system, they can look into the eight limbs of Yoga in a holistic manner comprising of yama, niyama, Asana, PrANAyAma, PratyAhAra, DhyAna, DhAraNa, and samAdhi. This could be construed to be one non-controversial strategy to make the world aware of the potentials of Yoga and realize immense benefits from Yoga practices.

The Dhvajastambha, as we call it, is installed based on the Agama pertaining to that specific temple. The details of the size, height, quality of the wood to be used and so on are specified in the Agama concerned. PAncarAtra and VaikhAnasa are the two main Agamas followed by the Vaishnavite temples. There are many branches of PancharAtra Agama. The North Indian Temples are not based on PAncarAtra and VaikhAnasa Agamas. Hence depending upon the Agama / Scripture followed by the Temple, there are variations.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

SrI RAmAnujAcArya, the greatest AcArya of SrIvaishNavism has clearly upheld the sanctity of varNASrama
dharma in his SrI BhAshya, the exalted commentary on Brahma sUtra. All the 74 AcAryas
established by him uphold the Vedic
tradition and are conforming to sAstras
even today.

SrI RAmAnujAcArya at the same time strongly
believed that we have to respect the great Saints and devotees belonging to
other castes as well, as many AzhvArs are non-BrAhmaNas. While it is the duty of
one person to follow his own varNASrama dharma, it does not make him automatically superior
to others. In the considered view of SrI RAmAnujAcArya all VaishNavaites (tirumAl adiyArs)
are one and the same in the eyes of the Supreme BhagavAn. Hence one has to be always polite
and humble in spite of his caste.

The jIyars of SrI RAmAnujAcArya
tradition wear yajnopavitam and perform nitya karma.SrI RAmAnujAcAyra fully knows what is varNASrama dharma and
what is devotion (bhakti yoga) and Surrender (Prapatti).

Those vaishnavites
who are not brAhmaNas
do not wear yajnopavitam but are engaged in the service of BhagavAn are
called as "sAttANi" . They render "pushpa kainkaryam" in a selfless
manner. SrI RAmAnujAcAyra
welcomed all for doing unconditional and selfless service to the Supreme
irrespective of caste.

Vaishnavites never claim that they are
superior based on birth. For them, it is the loving devotion to the Supreme which is important.
All devotees are verily equals. At the same time, Vaishnavites fully adhere to varNaSrama dharma.

SrI RAmAnujAcArya never advocated the supremacy of
BrAhmaNas over others. One of his respected AcAryas
was Swami
Tirukkacchi Nambigal, who was a non-BrAhmaNa. Therefore, if only SrI RAmAnujAcAyra had
considered BrAhmaNas
as superior, there is some meaning in alleging that he could have converted
non-BrAhmaNas
into BrAhmaNas.
For him, all SrI Vaishnavaites are indeed equals. At the same time he also emphasized that the SAstras have
to be duly complied with based on one's VarNASrama dharma as determined by one's
birth.

SrI RAmAnujAcArya brought
many people into the fold of Sri
VaishNavism without any change in their status ofvarNa. As they were disillusioned with
the non-Vedic philsophies,mAyA vAdam etc, they voluntarily
came into the fold of Sri VaishNavism.

All the sAtthAda
mudalis of heritage temples like SrIrangam, still remain to date as sAtthAda mudalis
only. Nobody was ever converted into the BrAhmaNa fold. Pillai UrangAvalli Dasar became a very
close disciple of SrI RAmAnujAcArya at SrIrangam and he remained as a non-BrAhmaNa only.

SrI RAmAnujAcArya firmly
believed in the supremacy of Vedic Scriptures. According to the SAstras, there
are no rituals for converting the caste of the person into BrAhmaNa VarNa.
Hence as a strong upholder of SAstras, SrI RAmAnujAcArya would not have even
dreamt of changing the VarNas just like that.

SrI RAmAnujAcArya is far
beyond the mAyA of caste supremacy and there is no need for him to convert
non-BrAhmaNas into BrAhmaNa VarNa. He only openly welcomed all people with love
and affection irrespective of their
castes into the fold of SrI VaishNavismto cross the ocean of samsAra and reach the abode of the Supreme.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

The very fact that we are asking Veda PramANa
overlooking the smrtis of the great Rishis shows our lack of respect for their sagacious
wisdom and trying to use our very limited knowledge to understand and interpret
the Vedas. According to Manu, one who disrespects the smrtis is a nAstika.

Both Sruti and smrutis constitute valid pramANas. We have to keep in view that
smrutis have only Sruti as the base. Though there were many SAkhAs (recensions)
of the Vedas in the days of yonder, only a few are available now due to
various reasons.

anantA vai vedAh !

---- TaittirIya KAthaka

The Vedas are infinite. Thus while a particular
aspect (for example, mandatory performance of trikAla sandhyA including
mAdhyAnikam) specifically covered in the smrutis could have been
based on a Vedic statement which was existing in a particular Vedic recension
at that point of time but not now, it may not be correct for us to conclude
that the particular aspect is not backed by Vedas. Hence it would be very
difficult to overlook what is stated in the smrutis as being something which is
not mentioned in the Vedas and hence need not be followed.

One cannot properly understand the intended and
intrinsic meaning of Vedas. As Vedas are complex and innumerable, the Rishis
through their great tapas composed the Smrutis which define what is dharma for
a particular Yuga.

In order to understand the Sruti in the proper
perspective, one requires the guidance of smruti. Interpreting the original
Vedic Mantras on our own accord is dangerous in the modern environment.

For each
Mantra, there is a Rishi, a Chandas and the devatA. One cannot overlook the
Rishi and chant any Mantra including GAyatrI MahA Mantra. As Rishis are the
Seers of Vedic Mantras and the authors of smrutis, we hold them in high esteem.
Rishi TarpaNam is offered to them. KAnda Rishi TarpaNam is also there. All the
Srauta, grihya and smArta PrayogAs are done even today based on the statements
of great Rishis like Apastamba, BodhAyana, ASvalAya, Jaimini, LAtyAyana,
KAtyAyana and so on. In addition, we have sanakAdi Rishis, Sapta Rishis ,
NArada, BharadvAja, Veda VyAsa and so many others.

Each
BrAhmaNa (however materially he may be rich) is born only as a debtor with
triple debts. He is indebted to the Rishis, DevAs and Pitrus. The Rishi debt is
discharged through brahmacarya, Deva debt through performance of yajnas and
Pitru debt through progeny.

JAyamAno
ha vai brAhmaNah tribhir rNavA jAyate !

brahmacaryena
rishibhyah !

yajnena
devebhyah!

prajayA
pitrubhyah!

The
Rishis including Rishi Patnis are to be respectfully worshipped. Without them,
the Vedas would have disappeared. The smrutis, which are Rishi Proktam are
therefore equally valid like Sruti.

Whatever
one feels like doing according to his mental make-up does not constitute
dharma. That is why in Bhagavad GItA , BhagavAn advises all to follow dharma as
ordained in the Scriptures :

tasmacchAstram
pramAnam te karYAkArya vyavasthitau!

jnAtvA
SAstra vidhinoktam karma kartum ihArhasi !!

-----Bhagavad
gItA ! 16.24

One who
does not follow SAstras gains not Sukham or Siddhi or parama gati.

yah
Sastra vidhim utsrijya vartate KAma kAratah !

na sa
siddhim avApnoti na sukham na parAm gatim !!

---Bhagavad
gItA 16.23

Learned
sees through the eye of SAstras

"
----kavibhih SAstra cakshushA ---"

----
SrImad BhAgavatam x-84-36

Sruti
smruti mamaivAjnA yad tad ullanghya vartate !

AjnAcchedhe
mama drOhi mat bhaktOpi na vaishNava !!

---
VishNu

vedamUlAh
smrutayah !

----
Sankha

durbodhA
vaidikASSabdAh prakIrNatvacca ye khilAh !

tatraita
eva drushtArthAh smruti tantrai pratishthitAh !!

----
MarIci

Srutim
paSyanti munayah smaranti ca tathA smrutim !

tasmAt
pramANamubhayam pramANaih pramitam bhuvi !!

---- Manu

According
to Angiras, those who are learned in pramANas should duly take care of them.
Otherwise, authentic pramANas would get destroyed by baseless pramANas.

pramANAni
pramANajnaih paripAlyAni yatnatah !

sIdanti
pramANAni pramANairavyavasthitaih !!

--------Angiras

Coming to
the subject, there are two modes of samskAram in terms of Pitru medham and
Brahma medham. For both, there are Veda Mantras available as per grhya prayoga
and are currently in use. This varies based on the sUtra to which one belongs
to. Now for each and every karmanushthAna if somebody asks for specific pramANa
in the Vedas (of which only a portion is available now), it is not in line with
the path of the wise. We need to understand that the Veda Mantras used in the
context as recommended by the Rishis constitute the PramANas. It is to be noted
that in the entire two volumes of SrAddha kAnda of VaidyanAtha dIkshitIyam,
only pramAnas from dharma SAstras are given. In the Vedas we have ample
references about Pitru Yajna, svadha , Pitru, PitAmaha, PrapitAmaha and so on.
But for each karma and the detailed procedure, if some body demands specific
Veda pramAna, it is too much and tantamounts to overlooking the sagacious
wisdom of the Rishis.

According
to MarIcI, one is born as a candAla in crores of birth if one gives up
performance of Abdika SrAddha.

PanditA
jnAnino mUrkhAh striyo'tha brahmacAriNah !

mrtAham
samatikramya candAlah kotijanmasu !!

---
MarIcI

According
to LokAkshi, one shall do anna SrAddham only and not HiraNyam or Ama SrAddham.

Pushapvatsvapi
dAreshu videSastho 'pyanagnikah !

annenaivAbdikam
kuryaddhemnA va'mena na kvacit !!

---
LokAkshi

According
to Jamadagni, Sumantu and USanas, one without wife is not entitled to perform
pArvaNa SrAddham and he has to do Ama SrAddham.

na bhavatyasya sAmagrI dArA vA gruhameva ca !

AmaSrAddham
prakurvIta vrddho bAlaSca yo bhavet !!

-
Jamadagni

One who
thinks that there are no Pitrus and gives up performance of SrAddha earns the
curse of his own Pitrus.

na santi
pitaraSceti krtvA manasi yo narah !

SrAddham
na kurute tatra tasya raktam pibanti te !!

---
Aditya PurANa

Where
SrAddha is not done, there no Putras are born, no relief from dieseses, no long
life and no goodness.

na tatra
vIrA jAyante nArogA na SatAyushah !

na ca
Sreyodhigacchati yatra SrAddham vivarjitam !!

---
HArIta

It is to
be noted that even in the dharma SAstras different ways have been suggested for
a particular situation by different Rishis. It is difficult to comprehend and interpret
the proper course of action many a times. Our own interpretations of the Vedas
in the context of performance of various Karmas would be grossly misleading. We
have to necessarily go by what the great
Rishis have said and follow it as far as possible in one’s own prevailing
circumstances.Hence if any one who
raises such questions genuinely believes
in Vedic Scriptures, he can personally approach a Srotriya well-versed in
dharma SAstra, get his doubts clarified and act accordingly.

About Me

I am interested in Vedic studies , Vedic culture and Philosophy.My Book on Vedic Management has been published by Taxmann, India.
http://www.taxmann.com/bookstore/AuthProduct.aspx?authid=120
http://www.vedvikas.com